Buffalo Bills News - March 3, 2015

Buffalo Bills decide not to use franchise tag on Jerry Hughes [1:59 AM]Syracuse Post-Standard reports:
'If the Bills had given the franchise tag to Hughes, and he played under it, he would have made $14.813 million in 2015. Instead, the Bills have between now and March 7 to come to terms with Hughes before other teams can begin negotiating with him. Free agency opens officially on March 10 at 4 p.m.'

Bills decide against using franchise tag [1:57 AM]WGR-AM reports:
'In addition to Hughes, the other notable free agents coming from the Bills roster are running back C.J. Spiller and safety Da’Norris Searcy. Teams can begin to contact the representation of unrestricted free agents starting on March 7, leading to the beginning of the free agency on March 10 at 4 pm when players can start to officially sign with other teams.'

March 2, 2015

March 1, 2015

A variety of QB choices to add to Bills’ shopping cart [1:59 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'“You do ‘ground and pound’ for a reason, and that’s because you don’t want to turn the ball over and you want to give the defense an opportunity to catch its breath,” Polian said. “So if you have a quarterback that has a propensity for turnovers, then it’s going to be difficult to maintain that kind of approach. I also might be inclined to go with a younger guy who might have some upside.”'

Corbin Bryant makes good use of offseason down time [1:58 AM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'Bryant, who’s spent the last two years as a backup on the Bills defensive line, is in the middle of a three week stint with Under Armour, as part of the National Football League Players Association’s Externship program. The program, in its second year, is set up to allow current players to get experience with businesses they’re interested in working for when their football playing days are over.'

February 28, 2015

QB McCown signs with the Browns [1:59 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'McCown, a 12-year veteran, reportedly chose between the Browns and Bills, because they were the only ones offering him a chance to be a starter.'

Will Buffalo Bills make run at Darrelle Revis in free agency [1:58 AM]Syracuse Post-Standard reports:
'The Bills have been connected to Darrelle Revis ever since hiring Rex Ryan. Ryan and Revis loved working together in New York, and there's plenty of reason for Ryan to want to bring one of the best cornerbacks in football to Buffalo. But will the Patriots let him go? They are reportedly prioritizing bringing him back, but it won't be easy with safety Devin McCourty also needing a new contract. If he becomes available, I expect the Bills will at least kick the tires on Revis, because that's what Ryan does. That said, odds are better that he won't end up in Buffalo.'

No More McCown; QB picks Browns over Bills [1:57 AM]WGR-AM reports:
'According to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the 35-year old McCown signed a three-year contract with the Browns to compete with Johnny Manziel for the starting quarterback job. He was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier in the month after accruing a 1-10 record in 2014. In his career, McCown thrown for 61 touchdowns to 59 interceptions.'

February 27, 2015

Bills making a push to sign QB McCown [1:59 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'Another NFL source said McCown is likely to sign a one- or two-year contract that would pay him about $5 million annually, the amount 10-year veteran Kyle Orton received for the one-year deal he signed with the Bills shortly before the start of the 2014 season. Orton took over for EJ Manuel after the fourth game and made 12 starts. A day after the season, Orton announced his retirement.'

Bills coach Rex Ryan officially has the most Buffalo truck ever [1:57 AM]Syracuse Post-Standard reports:
'The photos are for real, though the make and model of the truck are unclear. In his opening press conference, Ryan said he wanted to live where the most snow falls in Western New York. He's now more than equipped to deal with whatever the Buffalo winter throws his way.'

Buffalo Bills now talking contract with free agent QB Josh McCown, according to report [1:56 AM]Syracuse Post-Standard reports:
'According to Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News, the talks between the two sides have escalated to salary numbers as the Bills are making a push to sign McCown. After visiting with Buffalo on Feb. 16, McCown left without a contract and has since spoken with the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and Cleveland Browns. But according to Carucci, a deal between the Bills and McCown could be done by Friday.'

No tattoo this time, Rex Ryan gets Bills-themed pickup truck [1:55 AM]New York Daily News reports:
'Ryan is immersing himself in all things Buffalo. He rocked a Thurman Thomas throwback jersey at last week’s NFL Scouting Combine, had his infamous tattoo changed from Gang Green to Buffalo blue and now this. Maybe he’ll show up to OTAs wearing one of those Buffalo wing foam hats.'

Buffalo engineers seek to build better NFL schedule [1:53 AM]AP reports:
'After more than year of coding, number-crunching and a few failures along the way, Kyle Cunningham and Niraj Pandy developed an algorithm that comes close to matching — and in some cases improving — a schedule the NFL produces annually.'

Report: Bills close to signing QB McCown [1:52 AM]The Sports Xchange reports:
'McCown, a third-round draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2002, has played for six teams in 13 seasons. He started 11 games for Tampa Bay in 2014, completing 56.3 percent of his passes for 2,206 yards, 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.'

Fred Jackson's D-3 Nation could have recruit in OL Ali Marpet [1:51 AM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'“I got a hold of him via text,” said Jackson. “I told him it was fun to watch everything he was going through. I’m very excited for him. It’s a lot of fun to see him get that attention and showcase his ability. He said he’s loving every bit of this process.”'

Kiko Alonso has high expectations for 2015 [1:50 AM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'“It always sucks to be on the sideline and not be able to get out there and play,” he told host John Murphy. “I was rehabbing, attending meetings, getting back into the flow of the game. So I wasn’t completely out the whole year. I was able to get in there and watch film and be around the guys, which was nice.” By the end of the 2014 season, Alonso was able to travel with the team to road games.'

February 26, 2015

Why Da'Norris Searcy might be the Buffalo Bills' most important free agent [1:59 AM]Syracuse Post-Standard reports:
'"Searcy is going to be a little challenging because we have paid Aaron Williams, and there's some money tied up in that position, and Searcy may probably garner starting money at safety," Whaley said. "That's going to be a little more challenging getting that done just because of the cap space used on that position."'

February 25, 2015

C.J. Spiller says there is still a possibility he returns to Buffalo Bills [1:59 AM]Syracuse Post-Standard reports:
'"There's a possibility that I could be in a Bills uniform," Spiller said. "We never know how this situation is going to play out. The organization knows that I want to be there, so pretty much the ball is in their court. At the same time we're going to weigh all our options and see what suits me best. The biggest thing is you want to go somewhere where you're wanted. That's the biggest thing. That's pretty much how I'm approaching this thing. I'm looking forward to it."'

Sources: Bills are not in pursuit of QB Bradford [1:57 AM]WGR-AM reports:
'A Yahoo! Sports report from Tuesday afternoon that the Bills were in pursuit of St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford via trade, but sources to WGR says that the notion is not real and the Bills are not currently attempting to acquire the quarterback.'

C.J. Spiller: Re-signing with Bills still possible [1:56 AM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'“There’s a possibility that I could be in a Bills uniform,” Spiller said. “We never know how this situation is going to play out. The organization knows that I want to be there, so pretty much the ball is in their court. At the same time we’re going to weigh all our options and see what suits me best. The biggest thing is you want to go somewhere where you’re wanted. That’s the biggest thing. That’s pretty much how I’m approaching this thing. I’m looking forward to it.”'

What they're saying: reactions to 5 offseason moves so far [1:55 AM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'” I think Doug Marrone did a very good job coaching this team and making it better. But you can argue that maybe getting Rex Ryan is a little bit of an upgrade. That’s encouraging too. Are they a contender for a wild card? Yes.”'

Roman's offense requires tight ends in numbers [1:54 AM]BuffaloBills.com reports:
'“Yes, we’re going to have to expand on tight end,” said GM Doug Whaley. “Greg Roman is a big tight end guy. He likes to use three to four tight ends so we’re going to have to add some tight ends. We’re also going to need to start over at fullback.”'

February 23, 2015

Athletes’ character is measured on a sliding scale [1:59 AM]Buffalo News reports:
'Bills ownership and management made peace with his sordid history, and fans quickly fell in line. Incognito fills a hole. You could argue that he’s more likely to carry himself like a Boy Scout with the Bills because they gave him an opportunity. He makes them better, so who cares?'

Running back no longer an NFL priority [1:58 AM]Rochester D&C reports:
'Spiller is a free agent who probably won't be re-signing with Buffalo. Fred Jackson is 34 years old and really shouldn't be anything more than a third-down back for whatever time he has left in his career. The Bills sent a fourth-round draft pick to Philadelphia last year to obtain Bryce Brown, but he remains an unproven commodity as a full-time workhorse. Anthony Dixon is a nice backup to have.'

Buffalo Bills reportedly taking a 'hard look' at free agent tight end Charles Clay [1:57 AM]Syracuse Post-Standard reports:
'Clay, who has played four seasons in Miami, has had at least 50 receptions and over 600 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons. Bills general manager Doug Whaley mentioned at the NFL Scouting Combine that new offensive coordinator Greg Roman likes to utilize the tight end position, so Buffalo is going to have to upgrade. Clay is the type of athletic playmaker who can play the "move" role on offense and make plays out of the backfield and as an in-line tight end. That versatility will appeal to head coach Rex Ryan, who likes to use a fullback on offense.'

Top QBs now likely beyond Browns', Bills' reach [1:56 AM]Erie Times News reports:
'Any shot the Browns, with the 12th and 19th overall picks, or the Bills, without a first-round pick after trading up to take Sammy Watkins last year, had of seeing Winston or Mariota drop is pretty much gone.'